title: Peptic ulcer disease in children: an uncommon disorder with subtle symptomatology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Data concerning peptic and infectious ulcers in children are limited. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, presenting symptoms and significance of symptomatology in ulcer diagnosis in the pediatric age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2000 and 2009, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy charts were examined retrospectively. All children in whom a diagnosis of ulcer was established were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic data were obtained from the patients' records. Peptic ulcer disease prevalence, presenting symptoms and symptomatology were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ulcer disease was observed in 31 (3.4%) of 902 patients. The mean age was 10.85 ± 4.25 (range: 2-17 years), and the male to female ratio was 2:1. The most common symptom was chronic abdominal pain (68%), hematemesis and melena (55%) and vomiting (39%). Helicobacter pylori was identified in 19 patients (61%) with ulcer. In the Helicobacter pylori-positive group, upper intestinal bleeding and pain were the major symptoms. Symptom frequency was not different between Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ulcer disease is an uncommon disorder in children with nonspecific clinical symptoms. Unlike the adult population, symptoms fail to diagnose peptic ulcer disease before gastrointestinal bleeding occurs.
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Çiğdem Ömür
authors.initials: ÇÖ
authors.lastname: Ecevıt
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Özgenç
authors.forename: Hasan Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Yüksekkaya
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ünal
authors.forename: Çiğdem
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: Raşit Vural
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Yağci
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008551:Melena / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies